You want to be a what?

We've all been through it: You tell someone that you want to be an Urban Planner and it's followed by an immediate "what?" Perhaps most succinctly, Urban Planners are interested in making communities better places to live. Interest in the environment, economic development, land uses, design, transportation, community development, social issues, politics, law, and more converge in the overall framework of Urban Planning. Some Urban Planners deal with all of these issues; some specialize. We make plans, documents which provide guidance for future direction. Perhaps more importantly, we make plans through a process of involving people: from city councils and planning commissions, to businesses, neighborhood groups, and individuals, our work involves communicating and working with people. We don't make the final decisions, but we attempt to nudge decision-makers in the right direction to make the best possible choices for how communities accommodate change.

On the following pages, you may explore what planners do, the various specializations, and places to explore further, as taken from Choosing a Career in Urban Planning by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.